Three Monkeys Online has a lengthy interview with MJ Hyland, to discuss Carry Me Down in particular, and her work in general.
Some sample quotes:
“On the first reading it should be superficially simple, but engaging, with a strong narrative pull. I intend to give the reader a reason to turn the page, so a good story on the surface, deceptively simple, minimalist, told with pared-back language. A nine-year old could read this book. But underneath the surface, I attempt to insinuate things, to do this quietly, and I suppose there’s a risk in that, because I have to trust that a reader who likes the book will go back and read it again, and notice what’s hidden, submerged.”
“I thought of novel writing recently as being like trying to solve a 100,000 piece jigsaw puzzle wearing mittens, without a picture on the box. Over time the mittens become gloves, and you can begin to feel the pieces, and put them together, and after three/four years the picture emerges. After all that time, though, you might not like the picture [laughs]. It’s a very strange business.”
Tags: first readings, on writing novels
Hello Maria Joan, My name is Amy Jackson, I am a sixth form student at Helsby High school and for my English Literature I have been asked to do a presentation on a book I have chose to read, I chose your Book ‘Carry me down’ reading about it online really fascinated me and I thought it would be interesting to read, which it was! I loved it! But to make my presentation more succesfull I wondered if you could possibly write back to me your personal thoughts about the book? Why you wrote it? and what gave you ideas and Inspiration? If you could possibly write back as soon as possible I would be very grateful. My presentation is this thursday, I know I may have left this mail a little bit late, if you are unable to write back by then that is completely fine, I would just like to say Thank you for writing such a wonderful book! Yours Faithly, Amy.